Doonst and Friends Have Fun and Games at Rattlesnake Point
Posted: Sat Jun 10, 2006 6:58 pm
Today I ran in a "5 Peaks" trail race (12.7 K) at Rattlesnake Point, Milton. It was a 10 AM start, I'm usually done my races by then! Got there at 9:04, and saw a long line of cars waiting to turn in to the Conservation Area. I'm sure there were even more lined up to the south. Took us a half hour to travel the 2 blocks into the site, Grrr. It was cool and windy as we picked up our race kit and chip. Nice day for running.
So they started a half an hour late, whatever. Met up with BJH, dgrant1 and Jane, and Snowrunner. I had come with my training partner, "A". More about her later.
I thought I knew the area from hiking and running with my SO, but it looks different "at speed". The first 3 K went quick; a little crowded at first as people jockeyed for the best line on the trail. 5 min pace through here, including a 4:45! That seems quick on a winding somewhat rocky trail. Then we headed down the escarpment, not too steep, but people were huffing at the bottom! And puffing! Then about 1.4 K along a road allowance trail along the bottom of Nassagewaya Canyon. Up what I thought would be the toughest section, a rock scrabble that everyone walked. It was just as slow going at the top though, rolling bedrock outcrops. Down to a 6:30 average along here. After the lookout, it was nice flat wide gravel trail for a while, what a mix. Past the halfway mark now. Passing near the Crawford Lake buildings, we turned onto a singletrack back towards the canyon edge. Tough to pass through here. Then back down the rock scrabble hill, no passing here either. At the bottom we went on a boardwalk for a minute, then back up the Milton Outlier on a different path than we had come down. Swithbacks up the hill, not a constant grade, but steeper at the top. Walking again. At the top, we soon pass the 9 K marker. Now there were some fast mild downhill sections, with some bedrock around to make it interesting, really quite fun. I felt like I was flying, going around and over things gives a greater impression of speed. Then there would be a 30 foot elevation scramble up a rock hill, then repeat. Near the end it seemed even rockier, narrow winding singletrack. I started to fade the last K, still a blast though. Coming across the last field, I reeled in a young guy, but he picked it up so I chased him in 1 second behind. Just knowing I could have taken him was enough. Yes, I've gotten old. Time: 1:12:08, 5:41 pace. 95th out of 222.
After, talking to Denis and Dave, started to wonder where "A" was, she should have been only a bit behind me. After she was 30 min late, I asked at the first aid booth if anyone was hurt on the course, but they didn't know. Dave (Snowrunner)'s friend's wife was late too, maybe they got lost. Eventually, someone walked up to me and told me that my friend needed a ride to the hospital. She had fallen around the 10 K mark, and hit her head on the dirt (at least not solid rock). She had scraped her leg and arm all up, they had dressed that in gauze on the trail, but her eye was turning black, so they thought she should get checked out. She might have been a bit embarressed. So, I dropped her off at Milton General emerge. She phoned me later and said she was fine, the doctor poking her face was the worst part. Her eye is good and black though, but it could have turned out way worse. She doesn't really run trails that much, this race just fit into her schedule. I think I'm travelling alone to the next trail race.
So they started a half an hour late, whatever. Met up with BJH, dgrant1 and Jane, and Snowrunner. I had come with my training partner, "A". More about her later.
I thought I knew the area from hiking and running with my SO, but it looks different "at speed". The first 3 K went quick; a little crowded at first as people jockeyed for the best line on the trail. 5 min pace through here, including a 4:45! That seems quick on a winding somewhat rocky trail. Then we headed down the escarpment, not too steep, but people were huffing at the bottom! And puffing! Then about 1.4 K along a road allowance trail along the bottom of Nassagewaya Canyon. Up what I thought would be the toughest section, a rock scrabble that everyone walked. It was just as slow going at the top though, rolling bedrock outcrops. Down to a 6:30 average along here. After the lookout, it was nice flat wide gravel trail for a while, what a mix. Past the halfway mark now. Passing near the Crawford Lake buildings, we turned onto a singletrack back towards the canyon edge. Tough to pass through here. Then back down the rock scrabble hill, no passing here either. At the bottom we went on a boardwalk for a minute, then back up the Milton Outlier on a different path than we had come down. Swithbacks up the hill, not a constant grade, but steeper at the top. Walking again. At the top, we soon pass the 9 K marker. Now there were some fast mild downhill sections, with some bedrock around to make it interesting, really quite fun. I felt like I was flying, going around and over things gives a greater impression of speed. Then there would be a 30 foot elevation scramble up a rock hill, then repeat. Near the end it seemed even rockier, narrow winding singletrack. I started to fade the last K, still a blast though. Coming across the last field, I reeled in a young guy, but he picked it up so I chased him in 1 second behind. Just knowing I could have taken him was enough. Yes, I've gotten old. Time: 1:12:08, 5:41 pace. 95th out of 222.
After, talking to Denis and Dave, started to wonder where "A" was, she should have been only a bit behind me. After she was 30 min late, I asked at the first aid booth if anyone was hurt on the course, but they didn't know. Dave (Snowrunner)'s friend's wife was late too, maybe they got lost. Eventually, someone walked up to me and told me that my friend needed a ride to the hospital. She had fallen around the 10 K mark, and hit her head on the dirt (at least not solid rock). She had scraped her leg and arm all up, they had dressed that in gauze on the trail, but her eye was turning black, so they thought she should get checked out. She might have been a bit embarressed. So, I dropped her off at Milton General emerge. She phoned me later and said she was fine, the doctor poking her face was the worst part. Her eye is good and black though, but it could have turned out way worse. She doesn't really run trails that much, this race just fit into her schedule. I think I'm travelling alone to the next trail race.
... why do I want to do the "Toad" again?
I hope yuor friend feels better this morning. Now, if you keep on saying how much fun trail running is, I'll feel obligated to try one out. 
Dave said he sprained his ankles three times yesterday.
If I can talk Cathy into going, she and I can snap photos of each other along the way (add another half hour onto that two hours!).